Candidates nominated in Korea
Pyongyang, February 28 (KCNA) -- Nowadays, voters' meetings for nominating candidates of deputies to provincial (municipal), city (district) and county people's assemblies are being held across the country. The election will take place on March 7.
It was stressed at meetings that the election would make an epoch-making occasion in carrying into practice the ideas and politics of General Secretary Kim Jong Il by building up new local power organs with able and trustworthy officials boundlessly faithful to the fatherland and the people so as to enhance the function and role of the people's power organs in every way. Workers, farmers, soldiers and intellectuals ready to perform their duties as servants of the people have been nominated as candidates at meetings.
S. Korean chief executive assailed
Pyongyang, February 28 (KCNA) -- The "Grand National Party" of South Korea, an opposition party, held an "executive committee meeting" on Wednesday passed a "proposal on forming a special fact-finding committee on@"presidential election fund" to investigate the chief executive's political fund, a Seoul-based radio reported. The party ridiculed the remark made by the chief executive at the "dialogue with the people" and press conference, etc held in connection with the lapse of one year of his office that he ceased to win over "parliamentary men" from opposition, and reminded him that actions speak louder than words.
Significant February in Korea
Pyongyang, February 28 (KCNA) -- February is very significant in Korea. General Secretary Kim Jong Il was born as a lodestar of Mt. Paektu in February Juche 31 (1942), 57 years ago. His birth marked a great event in pushing the revolution and shaping the destiny of the people of Korea. It was thanks to this auspicious February that the Korean people could have the greatest fortune of enjoying the blessings of General Secretary through generations.
In February the Korean people had the greatest happiness of choosing Kim Jong Il as a great successor to the revolutionary cause of Juche. The 8th plenary meeting of the 5th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) held in February, Juche 63 (1974) unanimously elected him successor to the President Kim Il Sung and to the leadership of the WPK in reflection of the desire of the entire party members and the people. A wave of jubilation swept the whole country upon the report of this news. At that time the Korean people highly praised him as "dear leader" and "sagacious leader".
On February 19, 1974 he formulated the revolutionary idea of the President as the systematized Juche idea, theory and method and proclaimed the modeling of the whole society on the Juche idea as the maximum program of the WPK. With this glorious February adorned with great events the DPRK is exalting its dignity and honor as the country of Juche and the Kim Il Sung's nation.
Orientation of "Minjurochong's" struggle laid down
Pyongyang, February 28 (KCNA) -- The chairman of the South Korean Confederation of Trade Unions was reported on February 25 to have advanced the confederation's orientation of struggle for stable employment and vital rights. He pointed out the movement will focus on attaining a number of goals including stop to lay-off under "restructuring" program, 7.7 % increase of wages and measure for social stability for the unemployed. He warned the authorities that the confederation would launch a powerful struggle, including a general strike, unless the demands were met.
S. Korean sign "defence cost sharing agreement" with U.S.
Pyongyang, February 28 (KCNA) -- The South Korean authorities are reported to have formally signed on February 25 a 1999 "agreement on defence cost sharing" for the up-keep of the U.S. forces in South Korea. This agreement was signed by the South Korean "Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade" and the U.S. ambassador to South Korea.
Under the agreement the "government for the people" is committed to pay 141.2 million U.S. dollars and a colossal amount of South Korean won to the U.S. forces in South Korea this year under the name of "personnel expenses". In 1998, the first year of office, this "government" offered to the U.S. forces in South Korea 399 million dollars, up 36 million dollars as against the previous year and at the negotiations with the U.S. held at the end of last year, it agreed to fix the sharing on that level in the years to come.
Anti-"government" rally by about 10,000 workers
Pyongyang, February 28 (KCNA) -- The South Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (Minjurochong) held a large anti-"government" rally in Seoul on Saturday for the first time after its withdrawal from the "Labor-Management-Government Committee ," according to a news report. The rally was attended by about 10,000 unionists including 7,000 from the Metal Industry Federation of Trade Unions and 3,000 from the Kia Motor Trade Union under Minjurochong.
At the rally they said Minjurochong withdrew from the "Labor-Management-Government Committee" because the "government" did not implement the labor-management-government agreed points and strongly urged the authorities to stop arbitrary "restructuring" and cut working hours. They vowed to take an active part in the March-April all-out struggle declared by Minjurochong.
They took to the streets together with those related to the headquarters of the South Korean national movement for employment and reform of big businesses and anti-IMF measures, a joint body of 53 civil, public and labor organizations. Meanwhile, about 500 members of the headquarters of the South Korean national movement held a rally and opposed the IMF and demanded a stop to lay-off and abolition of the "National Security Law." The organization charged that new liberalist restructuring makes workers and populace sacrifice their vital rights and has no guarantee for reviving the economy.
DPRK's new proposal supported abroad
Pyongyang, February 28 (KCNA) -- Mass media in Pyongyang reported foreign public voices supporting a new landmark measure taken by the DPRK to break the deadlock of the inter-Korean relations. The proposal was put forward at a joint meeting of the DPRK government, political parties and organizations held early this month. The meeting called for adhering to the three principles of national reunification and realising a wide-range dialogue between the north and south under the uplifted banner of national independence and great unity this year. A letter containing the reunification-oriented proposal was sent to the South Korean authorities, political parties, organizations and people of all walks of life.
Such positive measures were taken out of the noble desire and will to remove the danger of war this year, the last year of '90s, by pooling strength and resourcefulness of the nation, and greet the 2000s of reunification and prosperity. No sooner had the proposal been reported than it aroused support and great repercussions at home and abroad. Foreign governments, political parties, organizations, mass media and peace-loving figures hailed the new proposal as "a realistic proposal to open up a new phase of Korea's reunification", "constructive and positive proposal" and "reasonable and practical measure".
An enlarged meeting of the executive committee of the International Liaison Committee for Reunification and Peace in Korea was held in Brussels on Feb. 6 three days after the joint meeting was held in Pyongyang. An appeal and a special resolution adopted at the meeting expressed full support to the patriotic proposal of the DPRK and called upon the governments, public and political forces of the world and international organizations to urge the South Korean authorities to accept this proposal.
Political parties and organizations of many countries including 11 of Nepal, 17 of Madagascar and 9 political parties of Peru in their joint and separate statements noted that the Pyongyang proposal was the most just and correct measures. The leader of the Good Green Guyana, the director general of the African Regional Committee for the Study of the Juche Idea, the chief of information of the Organization of Socialists in the Mediterranean, figures of foreign countries, international and regional organizations in their statements urged the South Korean authorities to respond to the proposal of the DPRK.
Meetings, seminars and lecture meetings held in different countries of 5 continents expressed support and solidarity to the proposal of the joint meeting. Mass media in Libya, Cambodia, Poland and other countries reported articles on the proposal of Korea's reunification. Voices supporting the landmark proposal of the DPRK on the reunification-oriented dialogue are getting louder in different countries of the world.
Indictment against misrule in South Korea
Pyongyang, February 28 (KCNA) -- Ri Hye Jong and two others, who were recently released from prison in South Korea, condemned the authorities for defining them as "objects of supervision for public peace" and keeping them under watch and investigation. Denouncing it as a violation of human rights, they brought a lawsuit before the Seoul "high court."
Minju Joson today says their law suit is a stern indictment against the anti-reunification, anti-social misrule of the South Korean rulers and a just demand. Ri Hye Jong, called "Bird of hope for reunification," has sustained all sorts of persecution in prison for years since she was thrown there by "civilian government" rulers for the mere reason that she visited Pyongyang in Juche 84 (1995) to participate in the festival for national reconciliation, unity and reunification as a delegate of the South Korean Federation of University Student Councils (Hanchongryon).
Such criminal acts committed under the "civilian government" persist under the "people's government," the news analyst notes, and continues: The ruling quarters announced unconverted long-term prisoners and prisoners of conscience would be "released" by the "March 1 special amnesty." But it is very clear that they will suffer mental and physical pain under the "Law on Supervision for Public Peace" as Ri Hye jong did.
The South Korean authorities should immediately abolish such anti-reunification institutional mechanism as the "National Security Law" and "Law on Supervision for Public Peace" and ensure democratic freedom and rights to Ri Hye Jong and other patriotic forces for reunification in South Korea. Otherwise, they will invite bitterer hatred and condemnation from the nation.
February holiday celebrated in S. Korea
Pyongyang, February 28 (KCNA) -- The central committee of the National Democratic Front of South Korea (NDFSK) issued a press release on Feb. 22 on colorful celebrations held by the organizations of NDFSK and militant organizations across South Korea on the occasion of the February holiday, according to Seoul-based radio Voice of National Salvation. According to it, the NDFSK central committee and its provincial and city committees held celebration meetings.
A meeting held by the NDFSK central committee on Feb. 15 highly praised the General Secretary Kim Jong Il as a prominent hero of the century, outstanding leader of the era and bright sun of the 21st century. The meeting expressed their resolution to cherish absolute worship for General Secretary and to bring about a new leaping advance in national and democratic movement this year, the 30th anniversary of the founding of the NDFSK through the struggle for independence, democracy and reunification under his guidance.
The NDFSK organizations, Taeyang Society, February 16 Fellowship Society , Paektu Society and others organized colorful functions in conformity with their special conditions including lecture meeting, seminar, congratulatory forum, display of writings and photo exhibition, show of video tapes and song presentation. The radio Voice of National Salvation and the paper Kuguk Jonson gave wide coverage to his greatness through special programs and special issues. The celebration events proved to be big success thanks to loyalty and filial piety of people of different social strata in the teeth of fascist suppression.
Vow to retake national sovereignty in South Korea
Pyongyang, February 28 (KCNA) -- The National Democratic Front of South Korea (NDFSK) and people in the south will wage an anti-"government" struggle for independence against the outside forces and thus retake the sovereignty of the nation and speed up national reunification.
Pak Kwang Gi, chief of the Pyongyang mission of NDFSK, stressed this in a statement issued to the press on Saturday on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the March 1 Popular Uprising. He further said: The Japanese reactionaries who have revived with the backing of the U.S. imperialists are stretching out the tentacles of reinvasion to the South of Korea in a bid to realize their old dream, persistently avoiding apology and compensations for their crimes against the Korean nation.
The United States should take hands of domination and intervention off the south and withdraw all its aggression forces without delay. The Japanese reactionaries should give up their anachronistic attempt to reinvade and make an upright apology and correct compensations for the past crimes as unanimously demanded by the world public. The authorities in the south should do away with the bad habit of depending on the outsiders, stop partaking in the heinous aggression plots of the United States and Japan and step down from power at once.
Japanese reactionaries' anti-DPRK diatribe
Pyongyang, February 28 (KCNA) -- The recent first meeting of the Japan "economic and security research council" held reportedly adopted the policy mandating the Japanese government to "put the 'self-defence forces' in action in case splinters of the missile warhead fired by North Korea splash inside her territory, after debating on the institution of the "bill on emergency power" which invests the Prime Minister with the right to mobilize "SDF" without diet approval to cope with the missile threat from North Korea.
Rodong Sinmun today in a signed commentary observes that this movement of the Japanese reactionaries is part of their moves to justify their policy of overseas military expansion, our country being its first target. The commentary says: Our republic has already warned Japan that whether its artificial satellite becomes a missile targeted at her or not entirely depends on her attitude. Our republic will not keep Japan outside its sight as long as the Japanese reactionaries are putting spurs on perfecting their war system against our republic.
It would be serious miscalculation if they think they can be safe under U.S. umbrella, talking about "guidelines for Japan-U.S. defence cooperation" and the building of "theatre missile defence system."
Kim Jong Il's achievements in leading revolution
Pyongyang, February 28 (KCNA) -- The leadership of General Secretary Kim Jong Il over the building of a powerful socialist nation is consistent with a revolutionary leadership giving priority to military affairs, his unique mode of leadership. Rodong Sinmun today says this in a signed article.
His revolutionary leadership giving priority to military affairs means training the revolutionary armed forces to be pillars of revolution and enhancing their role to the maximum and leading the socialist cause as a whole to a steady upswing, the article says, and goes on: his revolutionary leadership is a brilliant inheritance of the revolutionary leadership of the great leader Kim Il Sung who had pioneered and advanced the revolution by force of arms. His revolutionary leadership proves to be great and just in defending Korean socialism firmly and bringing a new revolutionary turn in the struggle of the Korean people to build a powerful nation.
The situation prevailing in Korea eloquently proves that when military power is mighty, it is possible to defend socialism from the aggression moves of the imperialists. It is the lofty intention of General Secretary Kim Jong Il that the People's Army should serve not only as defender of the country and revolution but also as shock brigade for socialist construction and creator of the people's happiness. Always reposing deep trust in the People's Army, he has wisely led it to materialize the party's plan for socialist construction in the van. He has led all the people to positively follow the spirit, morality and culture created by the army.
The spirit of Kwanggye was created, the flames of Songgang flared up and the second grand Chollima march was stepped up in the difficult period of "arduous march" and the forced march, because the indomitable revolutionary spirit and trait of the People's Army are prevailing in the whole country. His leadership also proves to be just in vigorously encouraging the struggle of the revolutionary people of the world, who aspire after socialism.
The revolutionary parties and people of the world find a way of accomplishing the socialist cause in his revolutionary leadership giving priority to military affairs. The socialist cause of Juche is invincible thanks to his revolutionary leadership giving priority to military affairs and the people intensely loyal to General Secretary.